


You Don't Have to Carry This Alone

by boomerangsandadora



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: A lot of comfort, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, No beta we die like mne, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Rated T for swearing, The Gaang loves Zuko, Toph would beat Ozai to a pulp if Katara let her, Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko's Found Family yells at Loser Lord, a bit of hurt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:20:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26327023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boomerangsandadora/pseuds/boomerangsandadora
Summary: “You’re going to leave. Everyone always leaves me. You’ll get bored with me, find something better, or realize I never deserved--"Finally understanding the root of Zuko’s tears, Katara interrupts. “We’re going to see your dad.”“So you can tell him off.” Sokka clarifies.“I may believe in forgiveness, but I think you need to yell at him first.” Aang adds, garnering a smile from Katara.“I could beat him up for you, but I think Sugar Queen’s right. You need this.”“And we’ll be right by your side,” Suki promises.Or: When Zuko is scared that his friends don't really love him, Katara decides it's time for Zuko's life-changing field trip: a visit to his father.Alternately titled: The Gaang Gives Ozai a Piece of Their Mind
Relationships: Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Ozai & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Suki & Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Zuko
Comments: 30
Kudos: 240





	You Don't Have to Carry This Alone

It isn’t long after his coronation as firelord, so it isn’t a huge surprise to the group that Zuko is overwhelmed. He’d been acting weird all day, but when he doesn’t show up for dinner, the group knows something is seriously wrong. Even Sokka knows that there’s something more important than food--although he does take a few bites of dinner (for energy) before following the others.

Aang knocks on his bedroom door gently, “Zuko? Are you okay?”

“Go away.” It would be reassuring if he’d yelled at them--an angry Zuko is a familiar Zuko--but the quiet voice is worrying. “I’m fine.” The waver in his voice gives away his lie.

“We’re coming in, Sparky.” Before Toph can kick the door open, Suki grabs the doorknob and opens it gently. “You’re no fun,” Toph murmurs.

Zuko is sitting in the middle of his giant bed, looking smaller than he ever has. His face is tracked with tears, which he scrubs at furiously.

“Hey, what’s the matter?” Katara asks, immediately sliding onto the bed beside him. She keeps her distance though, leaving about a foot of space between them.

Sokka and Toph have no such qualms, although they’re sure to move slowly enough that Zuko sees what’s coming before he’s wrapped in their arms. Aang and Suki join the hug and Katara leans in too. There’s a moment of silence, but it’s broken by a sob from Zuko. Everyone pulls back.

“Sorry, buddy,” Sokka says.

“We’re here for you,” Aang adds.

Zuko takes a shaky breath. “That’s what I don’t understand.”

“What do you mean?” Suki prompts softly.

“I don’t understand why you’re still here. I’m not your firebending teacher,” he gestures at Aang, “and we already saved the world. You don’t _need_ me anymore.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“What Toph is trying to say,” Katara breaks in grumpily, “is that we’re your friends. We don’t need something from you, we just like you.”

“We’re sticking around because we want to,” Suki adds.

Instead of being comforted, Zuko’s breath hitches again. Sokka gently places a hand on his back. “What are you afraid of?”

“You’re going to leave. Everyone always leaves me. You’ll get bored with me, find something better, or realize I never deserved--”

Finally understanding the root of Zuko’s tears, Katara interrupts. “I think it’s time someone takes you on a life-changing field trip.”

“I never got one--” Toph whines, but Sokka’s elbow in her rib quiets her.

“What do you mean?” Zuko asks, wiping away his tears.

“We’re going to see your dad.” Katara says.

“So you can tell him off.” Sokka clarifies.

“I may believe in forgiveness, but I think you need to yell at him first.” Aang adds, garnering a smile from Katara.

“I could beat him up for you, but I think Sugar Queen’s right. You need this.”

“And we’ll be right by your side,” Suki promises.

Katara puts her arm around Zuko and they rise easily as one. Sokka puts his arm around Zuko on the other side, so the Firelord is sandwiched by the water tribe siblings. Aang grabs Katara’s hand and Toph links arms with Sokka and Suki. They have every intention to walk down to the prison as a human chain, but quickly discover they don’t fit through doors very well.

Instead, Aang leads the way, Katara holds Zuko’s hand, Toph and Sokka follow (their arms still linked), and Suki brings up the rear. “You really don’t have to--” Zuko protests.

“Yes we do.” Toph interrupts.

“You need this.” Katara explains.

When they reach his cell, Aang leads in the procession.“Ozai, Firelord Zuko is here to have some words with you.” The defeated firelord simply growls in response.

Katara grabs Aang’s hand, while still holding Zuko’s. Sokka places his arm around Zuko’s shoulder, linking him and Toph to the group. Suki squeezes Toph’s hand. Zuko gives his friends a weak smile. “Ozai,” he begins quietly.

His father interrupts. “Are you here to tell me how strong you are now? How you’re a better firelord than I could ever be?” Katara drops Aang’s hand, unscrewing the cap of her waterskin. “Or that your little group of friends are a better family?” He spits, “You disgust me Zuko--” Toph stomps her foot and a pillar of earth flings the prisoner up. He falls with an “umph!” and Toph steps forward.

“You’re going to shut up and listen, unless you want to get your butt kicked by four master benders.”

“And my boomerang!” Sokka adds.

“And a Kyoshi Warrior,” Suki’s addition is quiet, but fierce.

“I don’t know what you want me to say.” Zuko says quietly, searching Katara’s eyes.

She gives him a smile before glaring at his father. “Ozai, we’re here to tell you that you have a son who is more than you could ever dream of. Not only is he the best firelord your nation has ever had and a better bender than you ever were, he is kind and intelligent and funny. What you did to him was wrong. No child deserved that,” she can’t help but glance up at Zuko’s scar, “but Zuko especially did not. You had the perfect son and it was your loss that you didn’t appreciate him.”

“I--” Ozai begins angrily, but (to everyone’s surprise) Aang drops Katara’s hand and steps forward.

He points his staff forward threateningly. “I beat you when you had your bending, I don’t think you want to face me without it.” Ozai doesn’t respond, but his scowl is less convincing. “Zuko did everything for you. He chased me from the South pole all the way to the North pole. He would’ve done _anything_ for you. But you didn’t appreciate him. You are the worst father I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting and I’m a 112!”

Toph steps forward next. “I’m glad I’m blind because I can’t imagine having to look at something as disgusting as you. I know firsthand how powerful your son is and you made him feel weak. You are the weak one. You could’ve won your stupid war if you’d had a heart. But with no brain and no heart, it was easy to defeat you.”

As Toph re-links her arm with Sokka, he begins to speak “Do you know that Zuko beat Azula in an Agni Kai? You chose the wrong child to put your faith in. But you know what? It worked out, because I don’t know what I’d do without your son as my best friend. You suck, Lord Go-Die!”

Suki smiles. “You know how I met Zuko?” Zuko looks slightly guilty. “He burned down my town, for you. You were lucky enough to have the most honorable, loyal son in the whole Fire Nation. How you couldn’t see that is beyond me. But Zuko hasn’t just made up for the mistakes he made on your behalf, he has undone the evils you and your ancestors committed in the last hundred years. He isn’t just one of my best friends, he is the best of the Fire Nation.”

Zuko shrugs off Sokka’s arm, squeezes Katara’s hand, and lets go. Silently, he steps forward. He stares at his father, who is sitting angrily on the floor, for a long time.

Quietly, shakily, Zuko says “You were supposed to be my dad.” Katara tries to step forward, but Zuko shakes his head. She understands, he needs to do this alone. His voice is still shaky, but with every addition, his anger grows. “I was thirteen! I only wanted to protect our people and instead you burned me and tossed me out. Do you understand how evil that is? You punished me for doing what a firelord should.” Sadness is palpable in his voice when he says “I only wanted your love. I would’ve done anything for it and instead you gave me a seemingly impossible task.” His anger returns, a reminder of an angry banished prince. “But you know what? You did me a favor. Uncle Iroh is ten times the father you ever were. And I’m glad to be ruling the fire nation with my friends. They’re my family, not you.” The tears in his eyes return, but he doesn't let them fall. “But I am still sad. I still wish that you could’ve been my father. I wish that we could go back to being that family on Ember Island, you, mom, Azula, and I.” He covers the sadness with resolve. “But I will find my mother and I already have a new father. I have a new family. No matter how much you hurt me, _I_ get to move on. I’m already better than you ever were and I’ve just begun. So rot in prison, Ozai. It’s what you deserve!” Despite the anger, he still looks down at his father, still searching for a response. Even with all his friends at his side, even as he understands that he deserved better, he still searches his father’s face for some sign of love, approval--anything.

Ozai notices this and smirks. He opens his mouth.

“No.” Katara says. Zuko turns to her, surprised by how much she sounds like the Katara who faced her mother’s killer. “You don’t get to speak. You don’t deserve to.” She takes a deep breath. “I don’t have the words to describe how horrible you are. But as disgusting as you are, that’s how amazing Zuko is. We’re not in here for you. You deserve much worse than this, rotting in this prison cell. We’re here for Zuko. The next time he thinks he’s not good enough because his heartless, idiot of a father didn’t treat him right, well, I want him to remember this. I want him to remember when you huddled on the floor like the coward you are and he walked out of here, surrounded by people who loved him.”

She grabs Zuko’s hand, “Are you ready to go?”

He looks down at his father. “I’m happy.” He says--although the tear escaping his right eye and his angry voice don’t exactly portray happiness. “I am going to be happy. I am going to create a world where all of the nations are equal. And everyday, I’m going to remember how much you’d hate how perfect my life is, and I’m going to smile. Because,” his voice breaks as more tears begin to fall, “Because my friends are right. I deserve better than you.”

He turns and leaves, Katara following. Sokka, Suki, and Aang leave next, but Toph remains. “I’m staying right here until Zuko’s gone. Because you don’t get to say anything.”

“Bitch,” he growls.

In response, Toph throws a rock in his face and Zuko--as well as the whole prison--can hear his yell. When she leaves, Toph holds up a single finger, but Ozai stays silent in his fury.

Toph is glad she is late to the conversation. She prefers the yelling, violent part of emotions more than the sad ones. She can tell Zuko has only just stopped crying as she enters.

“What’d you do to him?”

“Well, he called me a bitch. So I showed him how much of a bitch I can be.”

“Thank you all.” Zuko says. “I don’t think I’ll ever deserve you guys.”

“HEY!” Sokka interrupts. “Did you miss the whole point of that entire thing? Do we need to go back down there?”

“What Sokka’s trying to say,” Aang said, “Is that we love you. And you do deserve this.”

“If it’ll help, I’ll go beat Ozai up some more.”

Zuko smiles weakly. “Thanks Toph, but I don’t think beating up a defenseless prisoner is really allowed.”

Toph cracks her knuckles. “Who’s going to stop me?”

“Alright, alright.” Katara interrupts. “Can we stop with all the violence and maybe just give Zuko a hug.”

“Ugh, you haven’t done the group hug yet? I’ll just--”

Sokka grabs Toph (as she begins to try to leave) and they all crowd around Zuko.

In the center of the hug, Katara looks up at Zuko. “We all love you.”

Zuko still isn’t sure he deserves it, but he smiles anyway. Even if things are hard, he has his friends to help him. For the first time in years, he’s sure that everything is going to be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic on ao3! I wrote this just because I wanted to give Zuko some extra love, but decided it was cute enough to share. Kudos and comments will literally make my day (and I have some thoughts on Zuko shares how he got his scar, prequels to this so...if you want to see more, let me know!)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! <3


End file.
